Intercultural Dialogue via Music: Translating the Beatles’ Legacy into Contemporary Pop Culture

Abstract

Cultural translation phenomena are per se an intercultural product. Exchange and interaction take place every day in our globalized world. Especially with respect to music, a translational perspective can broaden the horizon of research projects in a very fruitful way. Music always combines elements from different cultures, periods and styles and can, in that way, serve as a medium of intercultural dialogue, which affects the participants of the dialogue not only on a rational, but also on an emotional level – and helps to cross borders and build bridges between different cultures. In my analysis, I take a look at the legacy of the Beatles and how it is performatively unfolded by the Spanish-Chilean band the Recalls, based in Germany. Different cultures intermingle in such appropriation and show a joyful (postmodern) handling to create a very special, discrete type of music and self-staging. Thus, music as a product of intercultural dialogue can become a chance for a successful interaction between different cultures.